Barrel filling and packing machine.



W. V. MEYER. BARREL FILLING AND PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.22, 1913 Patented Oct. 10,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. V. MEYER.

BARREL FILLING AND PACKING MACHINE. APPLICATION man DEC. 22. 1913.

1,200,636. Patented Oct. 10,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM V. MEYER, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

BARREL FILLING AND PACKING MACHINE.

Application filed December 22, 1913.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, WILLIAM V. MEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Barrel Filling and Packing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to automatic machines for filling barrels with finely divided or powdered material and causing the latter to settle and pack so that the greatest possible quantity may be inclosed in a single barrel. Forthis purpose I provide a machine in which it is only necessary to place the barrel to be filled in'position beneath the filling. spout connected to the machine and start the latter by operating a handle, when the flow of filling material will start, and after it has proceeded sufficiently to fill the barrel to a predetermined extent the latter will be revolved and rapped or jarred about its lower portion containing the filling material, and as the upper portion of the barrel is filled .it will also be rapped, the supply of material being finally shut off when the required amount shall have been loaded into the barrel.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated and in the following specification specifically described a preferred form of barrel filling and rapping machine embodying my invention but it is to be understood that the specific disclosure is for the purpose of exemplification only and that the invention is set forth in the following claims in which I have endeavored to distinguish it from the prior art sofar as known to me, without, however, relinquishing or abandoning any portion thereof.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 an end elevation of my improved rapping machine seen from the right of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4c a vertical section of a detail, on lines H, Fig. 1.

In the several viewsthe same reference character is applied to each part wherever it may occur.

After the filling of the barrel has begun the precise stages at which the various mechanisms of my device by which the operations referred to above are accomplished, are thrown into operation are determined by the weight of the barrel and its contents.

My device comprises a frame consisting of the longitudinal members 4 spaced apart and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Serial N0.-808,263.

connectedby cross beams 5, 5, uprights 6, 6 and cross bars 7, 8, 9 connecting the uprights. At what I shall refer to as the rear end, the frame carries a rotary platform 10 which is adapted to receive the barrel to be filled and is revoluble upon a ground post 11 secured thereto and projecting into a tubular bearing 12 secured at 13 to a cross-piece 14 of theframe. The barrel to be filled does not rest directly upon the platform but upon a set of rollers 10 which as shown are three in number and mounted on the platform, in order to make it easier to withdraw the barrel after it has been filled. The platform 10 is provided on its under side with a bevel gear 15 which is engaged by a bevel pinion 16 upon a central longitudinal shaft 17 mounted in bearings upon the frame. A bevel pinion 18 is loose upon the shaft near its other end and engages a similar bevel pinion 19 upon the counter-shaft 20 which is turned by a belt pulley 21, said shaft being likewise mounted upon the frame. An axially reciprocable clutch member 22 is keyed upon the shaft and serves to connect said shaft to the pinion 18 for rotation thereby when the barrel platform is to be revolved. The clutch is shifted by mechanism to be presently described.

The means for rapping the barrel are distributed at suitable intervals vertically of the machine and in the accompanying drawings are shown as two in number though obviously a greater number of. such mechanisms could be employed if desired. They are indentical in construction and each consists of a pair of hammer levers 23, 24 pivoted between cross bars 25, 26 at 27, 28

respectively and extending at their rear ends to diametrically opposite points above the barrel support. Hammer bar 24: is extended beyond its pivot and provided with a ferrule. I

29 carrying an anti-friction roller 30 which engages a cam 31 whereby the forward end of said hammer is caused to move away from the barrel upon the platform. Cam 31 is spiral in form (see Fig. l) and mounted on a shaft 89 journaled on the frame of the machine and provided with'driving means to be presently described. A link 32 connects the hammer 24L at apoint 33 rearward of its pivot to a point 34 upon hammer 23 forward of its pivot so that the hammers 23, 24: move in unison away from the barrel upon which they are operating. A stout spring 35 connects an eye on the link 32 with a hook 36 upon the hammer 23 whereby the hammers are drawn inward against the barrel being operated upon when released by the cam 31. The filling spout 37 is directly over the barrel receiving platform or table and is connected to a bin or other source of supply of the material with which the barrel is to be filled. A cut-off plate or closure 38 is adapted to control the opening of the spout and is mounted upon a sliding bar 39 which is mounted to slide longitudinally of the frame and is reciprocated by a lever 40 connected thereto by link 41 and extending through an opening 42 in a. longitudinal sliding bar 43 at one end of the machine. A spring 43 tends to close the shutter and a latch 39 having a catch 39 is pivoted to the front end of sliding bar 39 and extends over a wear plate P on cross bar 8 for a purpose which will appear.

I will now describe the means by which the various mechanisms above described are set in operation and controlled.

The machine as a whole isfulcrumed at its lower front edge by means of hinges 44 the lovers of which are connected to a cross piece of the frame. A pair of levers 45 and a floor cleat 80 respectively, each com prising the members 45 and 45 is fulcrumed by rod 46 to the lower longitudinal members 4 of the frame of the machine, the forward ends of said levers each carrying a weight receiver 48 upon which may be placed poises 49 of an ordinary character. The levers 45 are supported intermediate their ends from a floor cleat 50 by hardened pivot blocks 51 resting at their lower ends on a hardened bearing plate 52 on said cleat and at their upper ends in recesses 53 of the levers. It will now be obvious that by sufliciently weighting the poise receivers 48 the levers 45 will support the rear end of the machine in a relatively elevated position until sufficient weight is placed thereon to overcome the effect of the poises 49. In practice the weight upon the poise receiver 48 is so chosen that it will counterbalance the Weight of the machine plus the weight of a barrel filled to the point at which it is desirable to begin rotating the barrel. In order to make this adjustment accurately and readily the machine is furnished with a beam 54 extending longitudinally thereof upon which slides an adjustable poise 55 which may be set by means of screw 56 at the point necessary to give the desired action. The beam is shown secured at its ends to a cross piece 57 and a cross bar 58 respec tively, but obviously it might be otherwise mounted if desired or found more convenient.

A vertical frame comprising the uprights 59 and cross pieces 59 for tripping and putting into operation the various mecha- 5 nisms before described is slidably mounted pose.

upon the frame of the device at the front thereof to which it is held by the slotted cleats 59 within which the cross pieces 59 slide. Each upright 59 is slotted at its lower end as at 60 to receive the forward end of the corresponding lever 45 upon which it rests, an anti-friction roller 61 being interposed between the bar and lever for the usual pur- The upper cross piece carries a roller 59 which is adapted to engage and lift the latch 89 when the frame 59 is sufficiently raised for the purpose. A series of horizontally sliding clutch shifters 62, 63, 64 extend through openings 65, in cross pieces 66 of the framework and are provided at their forward ends with hinged latches 67, 68, 69 respectively, pivoted thereto for movement in a vertical plane and formed with stops 70, 71, 72 respectively, which when the shifter bars are in a forward position extend over and engage wear plates 73 upon the cross pieces 9, before mentioned. The latches at their forward ends extend through vertical slots in one of the uprights 59 of the vertically movable frame, which slots are provided with rollers 101, 102 for a purpose which will appear.

The clutch shifter 62 is provided at its forward end with a laterally extending rod 74, (see dotted lines Fig. 2) the inner end of which is braced by a strut 7 5 also secured as at 76 to said clutch shifter and upon the inner end of rod 74 as at 77 is pivoted a link 78, the lower end of which is pivoted by a pin and slot connection to a bracket "(9 upon the cross piece 80 of the frame. Intermediate its ends the link 78 is formed with a collar 81 which as shown consists of a.pair of semi-circular members fastened at their ends to the upper and lower members of the link. Said collar embraces the clutch 22 heretofore mentioned by which the mechanism for revolving the barrel stand or platform is thrown into engagement with the driving shaft. Each of the latches 67, 68, 69 is provided at its outer end with a poise receiver 82, and each of these clutch shifters is normally urged rearwardly bya spring 83 to bring the hook or projection 7 0, 71, 72 into contact with the corresponding wear plate 7 3. Each of the clutch shifters 63, 64 likewise operates a link or arm 84 which is directly pivoted thereto as at 85 and connected by a pin and slot -connection 86 with a suitable support 86 on the frame, said link being formed at 87 with a collar spanning and operating a clutch member 88 splined upon the short shaft 89 above referred to, mounted upon the side of the machine in bearings 90, 91. Each shaft has mounted thereon a cam 31, above described, for operating the hammers associated therewith. Each of the shafts also has looselv mounted thereon a pulley 89 upon the forward face of which is forme the clutch member for engaging the shiftable member 88 and a belt 89 driven from a pulley 18 secured to the gear 18 passes about said pulleys 89 and over an idler 89, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3. Rollers 101 and 102 are so arranged in their slots in upright 59 that they successively raise latches 67, 68 as the frame 59 is raised b the levers 45 thus releasing the clutch shifters 63, 64 successively and shifting the clutches controlled thereby to throw the hammer operating means into operation.

The sliding rod .43, above described, for operating the shut-off for the chute or spout is connected at its rear end as at 93 to a vertical hand lever 94 and the latter is pivoted at 95 to the frame and slotted at 96, 96. Anti-friction rollers 97 are mounted in the slots 96 and form abutments for the rear ends 98, 98 of the clutch shifters 63, 64 from which curved supports or guides 99, 100 extend rearwardly through said slots and over the rollers. Clutch shifter 62 departs somewhat from the construction just described for a purpose which will appear.

The operation of the parts thus far described may now be followed. The poises upon the'receptacle 48 and the poise 55 being so adjusted as to counterbalance not only the weight of the machine as a whole but in addition thereto the weight of the barrel filled to the point at which it is desired to begin revolving the same, the handle 94 is swung to the rear thus opening the spout and permitting the filling material to discharge into the barrel. The clutch shifters 62, 63, 64 will of course not follow the hand lever, being maintained in normal position by their latches and the wear plates with which they engage, as before described. When suflicient material has fallen into the barrel to overbalance the poises, the rear end of the machine descends carrying with it the pivot 46 of lever 45. But the latter being upheld by its fulcrum 51 tilts upward at its forward end carrying the vertical frame 59 or rather roller 101 thereon into engagement with the lowermost latch 67. By the further discharge of material into the barrel the pressure of the trip frame is sufficient to trip the latch 67 against the pull of its weight 82 and thereupon the spring 83 throws the clutch shifter 62 rearwardly causing the clutch sections on the central longitudinal shaft to engage. Thereupon the barrel platform is revolved by means of its gear 15, shaft 17,-gears 18, 19, countershaft 20 and pulley 21. After tripping the latch 67 the trip frame 59 is further raised by levers 45 as the main frame falls until it is again arrested by the anti-friction roller 101 coming into contact with the weighted latch 68. As the barrel continues to receive material, however, the weighted latch 68 is also overcome and raised by the frame 59 owing to the further tilting of the machine until it escapes the retaining plate 7 3, when the clutch shifter 63 is likewise drawn backward by its spring .83, shifting the clutch members on the lower cam shaft 89 into engagement. The cam is thereupon revolved alternately forcing the hammers 23, 24 away from the barrel and releasing them to be retracted into contact therewith by the spring 35. Obviously the continued rotation of the cam causes each of the hammers to deliver a succession of blows upon the barrel which in the meantime is revolved upon its platform so that it receives the successive blows at different portions of its periphery. The tripping mechanism described is so weighted and arranged that the barrel begins to rotate but a short time before it has been filled to such a point as to render rapping by the lower pair of hammers desirable. And as the filling continues the height of the contentsof the barrel reaches a point where rapping by the upper pair of hammers is useful. After the trip bar 59 has released the latch 68 it continues its ascent until the anti-friction roller 102 comes in contact with the latch 69. The latter is so weighted as to yield when the top of the material in the barrel reaches a position substantially opposite the upper pair of hammers. When the latch 69 is overcome the shifter 64 operates in the same manner as the shifter 63 to throw the upper set of hammers into operation. The filling of the barrel then proceeds as before and the trip frame is further raised until finally the roller 59 comes in contact with the latch 39 which governs the shutter or valve slide. This latch is so weighted as to be overcome and raised when the required amount of material has been received in the barrel and the shutter as soon as the latch is released is thrown rearward by its spring to close the spout. Obviously by reason of the connections of the shutter to the sliding l bar 43 the latter is thrown forward at the same time that the shutter is closed carrying with it the hand lever 94, and spring 43' is made sufiiciently powerful relative to the springs 83 to enable the hand lever to restore the slide rods or clutch shifters 63-64 to their forward positions with their latches in engagement with the catch plate 7 3. By this movement the clutch members 88 are shifted to the open position and the revolution of the cam shafts and vibrations of the hammers are stopped. It is undesirable to stop the rotation of the barrel however until the rollers extend transversely of the machine in order that the barrel may be rolled rearwardly thereon.

In order to stop the machine with the rollers in proper position the following device is adopted: The shifter 62 is somewhat shorter than the shifters 63 and 64 so that it is not engaged or thrust forward by themovement of the hand lever 94. Instead of a curved guide such as guides 99, 100, the rear end of clutch shifter 62 is provided with a tail piece 101 which is inclined sharply downwardly and which is engaged by a roller 102 upon the hand lever to raise the clutch shifter as the handle is thrown rearwardly in starting the machine. When the handle is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 however, the rear end of the shifter 62 again drops which causes a roller 103 on a bracket 10% depending from said shifter to bear upon the rotating table 10 and support the shifter above its lowermost position. At diametrically opposite points the table 10 is formed with depressions 105 which are in the path of the roller 103 and into one or the other of which the latter drops as the rollers 11 come to their position transverse to the machine. The following wall of the depression strikes the roller to carry the clutch shifter 6:2 forward against the tension of its spring, restores it to its initial position and opens the clutch 22 thereby stopping the rotation of the table. The filled barrel may then be removed and an empty barrel inserted in its place.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a completely automatic machine which after a barrel has been put in position may be started by merely pulling a handle and without further attention fills the desired quantity of material into the barrel, satisfactorily packs or compacts the same by rapping at the portions of the barrel where rapping is effective and ceases the filling operation when the barrel load is complete.

I claim:

1. A barrel filling and packing machine comprising a rotary support for the barrel, means for rotating said support, groups of rapping elements located at different elevations above said support, and means operated by the weight upon the support for successively causing the actuation of said groups of barrel rapping means.

2. In a device of the class described, a 1'0- tary table, means for rotating the same normally disconnected therefrom, means operated by the weight on the table for connecting the rotating means to the table.

3. In a device of the class described, a pivoted frame, a rotary platform mounted thereon, means for rotating the platform normally disconnected therefrom, and means operated by the movement of the pivoted frame for connecting the rotating means to the platform.

4. In a device of the class described, a pivoted frame, a rotary platform mounted thereon, a gear on the platform, a shaft mounted on the frame and meshing with said gear, a countershaft, means for driving the same, and a clutch for connecting the counter-shaft to the first said shaft operated by tilting the pivoted frame.

5. In a device of the class described, a pivoted frame, a rotary table mounted on the frame, means for rotating the table normally disconnected therefrom, means for counterbalancing the weight of the pivoted frame and parts carried thereby, and means operated by the tilting of the frame to throw the rotating means into connection with the rotary table.

6. In a device of the class described, a frame pivoted upon a horizontal axis, a rotating table mounted on the frame, means for rotating the table normally disconnected therefrom, a clutch for connecting said rotating means to the table, means for counterbalancing the frame, and a clutch shifter operated by the movement of the table for operating said clutch.

7. In a device of the class described, a frame fulcrumed upon a horizontal axis, a rotary table mounted upon the frame, gearing for rotating the table, means for driving the gearing normally disconnected therefrom, a clutch for throwing the driving mechanism into engagement with the gearing, a clutch shifter, means for holding said shifter normally in open position, and means operated by the tilting of the table for tripping the clutch shifter.

8. In a device of the class described, a frame fulcrumed upon a horizontal axis, a support upon the frame adapted to receive the barrel, rapping means adapted to operate upon the barrel, means for counterbalancing the weight of the frame and parts carried thereby to maintain the support in an elevated position until a predetermined weight of material is received in the barrel, means normally disconnected therefrom for operating the barrel rapping means, and devices operated by the dropping of the frame for connecting the barrel rapping means and the means for operating the same.

9. In a device of the class described, a frame, a barrel support mounted on the frame, barrel rapping means, driving mechanism therefor normally out of engagement therewith, yieldable means for maintaining the frame in a relatively elevated position and adapted to permit the f "ame to be lowered upon the depositing of a certain Weight of material in the barrel, and devices for connecting the barrel rapping means and the operating means therefor operated by the descent of the frame.

10. In a device of the class described, a rotary barrel support mounted also for movement from anupper to a lower position, means for revolving the support normally d sconn tt l t refrom, 'i ans fo connect? ing the operating means to the support, means for yieldingly maintaining the barrel support in an upper position but adapted to yield when a predetermined weight of material is received in the barrel, and devices operated by the descent of the table for throwing the revolving means into engagement with the table for rotating the same.

11. In a device of the class described, a rotary platform, a vertically movable frame for supporting the same, means for rotating the platform normally disconnected therefrom, a counterbalance lever connected to the frame for normally holding the same in a relatively elevated position and adapted to yield when a predetermined weight of material is discharged into the barrel, and means operated by said lever to connect the rotating means to the platform upon the descent of the table.

12. In a machine of the class described, means movable from an upper to a lower position for supporting a barrel, a plurality of rapping means arranged at different levels and adapted to engage the barrel at different heights, means for operating each of said rapping means normally disconnected therefrom, yielding means for supporting the barrel support adapted to yield under a predetermined weight to throw one of said barrel rapping means into connection with its operating means, and upon a further addition of material to the barrel to yield further to throw the second of said barrel rapping means into connection with its operating mechanism.

13. In a device of the class described, a frame mounted for movement from a higher to a lower position, a lever pivoted to the frame and weighted to normally maintain itin elevated position, a rotary support mounted on the frame, means for rotating the support disconnected therefrom and means actuated by the lever for connecting said support and rotating means.

14. In a device of the class described, a frame movable from an upper to a lower position, a lever pivoted to the frame and weighted to normally maintain it in an upper position, a rotary table carried by'the frame, a prime mover and connections including a clutch, a clutch shifter and means controlled by the lever for moving the clutch shifter.

15. In a device of the class described, a frame movable from an upper to a lower position, a lever pivoted to the frame, and weighted to normally maintain it in an upper position, a rotary table carried by the frame, a prime mover and connections including a clutch, a clutch shifter, means controlled by the lever for moving the clutch shifter, a spring for moving the same, a

latch normally resisting the tension of the spring and means controlled by the lever for releasing the latch.

16. In a device of the class described, a frame mounted for movement from an upper to a lower position, a rotary support mounted on the frame, means for rotating the support including a clutch, a shifter for the clutch having a latch to normally hold it in the position in which the clutch is open, a spring tending to reciprocate the shifter to close the clutch, a projection upon the rear end of the shifter, said rotary support being formed with one or more abutments adapted to engage said projection, means for raising said projection on the shifter to clear the abutments on the support when the latter is to be revolved and means operated by the descent of the frame to tip the latch.

17. In a device of the class described, a frame movable from an upper to a lower position, a rotary table pivotally mounted upon the frame, rollers mounted on the table, means for rotating the table including a clutch, a horizontally sliding clutch shifter, means for moving the same to close' the clutch, a projection on the clutch shifter, abutments on the rotary table adapted to engage that upon the clutch shifter when the latter is in depressed position, a chute mounted above the rotary table, a valve for closing the chute, means for operating the valve comprising a lever and means on the lever for raising the shifter when the valve is opened and lowering it when the valve is closed.

18. In a device of the class described, a frame movable from an upper to a lower position, yielding means for supporting the frame in its upper position until the weight thereon reaches a predetermined point, a

rotary table mounted on the frame, means for rotating the table comprising a normally open clutch, a horizontally sliding clutch shifter with means for operating the same for closing the clutch, a projection on the clutch shifter, abutments on the rotary table adapted to engage the abutment on the shifter when the latter is in a lowered position, an inclined tail piece upon the shifter, a lever and a support upon the lever adapted to engage said tail piece and in one position of said lever to support the shifter and in another position thereof to permit the shifter to drop.

19. In a device of the class described, a frame movable from an upper to a lower position, means for yieldingly supporting the frame in its upper position until a predetermined weight is applied thereto, a rotary table mounted on the frame, means for rotating the table including a normally open clutch, a horizontally sliding clutch shifter, means for operating the clutch shifter to close the clutch and a latch on the shifter for normally maintaining the clutch open, a Vertically movable trip frame adapted to engage the latch and trip the same when the main frame descends under a predetermined load.

20. In a device of the class described, a main frame having a movement from a higher to a lower position, a lever pivoted to said frame and weighted to normally maintain the frame in an upper position but to yield under a predetermined weight and to rise ith the fall of the main frame, a rotary table mounted on the main frame, means for rotating the table comprising a normally open clutch, a clutch shifter having means for forcing it in a direction to close the clutch and a latch for maintaining it in a position to hold the clutch open and a vertically sliding trip frame supported by said lever and adapted to trip the latch of the clutch shifter when the end of the lever supporting it rises.

21. In a device of the class described, a main frame movable from a higher to a lower position, yielding means for maintaining the main frame in a relatively elevated position and adapted to yield under a predetermined pressure, a receptacle support mounted upon the frame, a chute above the receptacle support, a valve for closing the chute, means tending to close the valve, a latch connected to the valve and adapted to maintain it in open position, and a trip frame operated by the descent of the main frame adapted to trip the latch and shut the valve when a predetermined quantity of material is received by the receptacle.

In a machine of the class described, a main frame adapted to move from a higher to a lower position, yielding means for sustaining the frame in the higher position but adapted to yield under a predetermined Weight, a barrel support mounted on the frame, a chute above the barrel support, a slide valve adapted to close the chute, a spring for forcing the slide valve to closed position, a latch adapted to maintain the valve in open position, said latch being weighted, means for rotating the barrel comprising a normally open clutch, a shifter for said clutch, and means for moving the same in a direction to close the clutch, a weighted latch on the shifter,a trip frame operated by the descent of the main frame and adapted to operate the latch of the clutch shifter and the latch of the slide valve consecutively.

23. In a device of the class described, a main frame adapted to descend from a higher to a lower position, means for maintaining the frame in a higher position until a predetermined weight is imposed thereon, a barrel support, means for rapping the barrel, means for operating the rapping means including a normally open clutch, a shifter for closing said clutch having a Weighted latch, a chute over the barrel support, a slide valve for closing the chute, means tending to close the slide valve, a weighted latch for maintaining the same in open position, and a trip frame operated by the descent of the main frame to successively trip the latches of the clutch shifter and slide valve.

WILLIAM V. MEYER.

Witnesses Manon E. MEYER, Bonner DOBBERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

